The Roots from Whence We Grow
by DemonMerc
Summary: After Sasuke's defection, Naruto does not leave with Jiraiya for his three year training trip. Instead, he will learn what it means to be a true shinobi under the tutelage of Danzo and become a part of Konoha's Foundation. Root!Naruto  Not emotionless.
1. Chapter 1

**The Roots from Whence We Grow**

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its structure, plot, characters, and pretty much everything in it is the property of Masashi Kishimoto. This story that you are currently reading is a fan-made fiction created by me, and as such is based heavily on and takes place in the Naruto world created by Masashi Kishimoto. It is not in the forseeable future that Masashi Kishimoto will, either in the present or the far-off future, simply hand off his prized and world-famous manga/anime to me. So praise Masashi Kishimoto and the proper affiliations, of which I am too lazy to check, for creating such a wonderful story that 99% of us in the world couldn't even dream of. End crappy disclaimer.

**Summary:** After Sasuke's defection, Naruto does not leave with Jiraiya for a training trip. Instead, he will learn what it means to be a true shinobi under the tutelage of Danzo and become a part of Konoha's Foundation. Root!Naruto, though he won't be emotionless like Ne members. Danzo will be a major protagonist in the story, though he won't get as much attention in the beginning of the story.

**Key:**

'_Alright… so if I draw this kanji here and put this symbol here than…' -_ Thinking

"**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu****!"** – Jutsu Activation

"I'm going to be Hokage, Dattebayo!" – Normal Speech

"**So… my warden has finally seen fit to visit little 'ol me." **– Demon Speech (Kyuubi, etc.)

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>To any new readers to this story, Chapter 1 and 2 will be edited sometime in the nearby future, both to make it cleaner, flow better, more realistic, expand on certain concepts, and add stuff that I didn't when I was typing up this chapter.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

He trudged up the dirt road, mildly sweating from the heat given off from the sun. He resisted the urge to scratch the itch caused from the bandages wrapped around his face and the entirety of his neck, leaving only his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth exposed. The hospital gown that used to be so immaculately clean, like the hospital it came from, was covered with the dirt that blew up when he dragged his feet across the ground. Uzumaki Naruto had escaped from the hospital again, like he did to the many ninjas before in their pursuit of him, but this time he wasn't smiling.

_'Sakura… I couldn't keep my promise to you. Sasuke… I couldn't… I couldn't stop you. I couldn't save you from… from…' _

From what? What was he trying to save Sasuke from? Was everything they had together a lie? All the time they spent together, the comradery? His mind's eye flashed through images of before, a small child, sitting on a pier by the lake and a smile that meant everything to him. The boy was eventually replaced with an older boy just starting out in his teens, the smile turned into a smirk and the word '_dobe'_ echoing through his mind. Then there was darkness, and two rivals perched above two equally high trees, scarred from the kunai slashes of the endeavors of genin on their first C-Class mission. A dome of ice, reflecting the image of a boy with too many needles in him and another with pure shock in his face. Then the punctured boy's face showed horrible agony as a grotesque head sunk his (Her? Perhaps neither.) teeth into the neck of the boy. But the agony turned into a fierce visage, shadowed by the dark power that emanated off of him in waves. And he remembered the anger, the pure hate that rolled off of the boy's tongue at the sight of his older brother.

_'What happened to you Sasuke? You were my friend, my first real friend. You were the brother that I always envied and strived to beat, but still… I thought that our bond was real. Was I wrong then?'_

His feet eventually led the rest of his body up the slanted road and across the area toward his favorite spot, the head of the Fourth Hokage. There was another man standing by, closer to the head of the Third. His back was facing towards Naruto; the sun cast shadows on his back, so the man's appearance was hard to see. Any other time and Naruto would have been unnerved by the man's presence; few came up here afterall, and those that did usually came at other times. But Naruto was too busy lingering in his own thoughts and his conflicted emotions to register the man's presence as unusual or suspicious, so he continued on his trek and sat on the Fourth's head, staring out in the distance. The man did nothing to acknowledge Naruto's entrance, no clue to show he even realized it at all. He just stood there, stiff and straight, yet like a bird of war ready to swoop down on unsuspecting prey.

The two of them stayed there for what seemed like hours, one lost in his thoughts and the other reminiscing on years far back. Eventually the sun started to set, and the landscape was covered with a vivid glow of orange. Naruto remembered this view; he had burned it into his mind throughout the years in his visits here. It was this view that was primarily responsible for his obsession with orange when he had first come up here after the loneliness had overcome him. Ever since then, this had become his place to think when he needed to get away from everything.

The silence that had lasted for hours was suddenly broken by a cough from the other man, whom Naruto had somewhat forgotten was there. Startled, he turned around and finally got his first good look at the man. The man was old, not as old-looking as the old man Hokage, yet he looked far worse off. Black shaggy hair fell slightly over bandages that completely covered his forehead and stretched over his right eye. Deep wrinkles covered his face, though they were definitely not caused by laughter like the Third's; instead, this man had looked like he had not seen a good day in ages. A scar in the shape of an x was displayed prominently on his chin. A white long-sleeved shirt was covered by a brown robe that stretched from his right shoulder to the left hip, and from there on covered the lower half of his body. Something protruded from inside the brown robe, which Naruto realized was probably his right arm. Naruto vaguely remembered him from when the Third would talk with his advisors Koharu and Homura.

As Naruto started at the man, he continued to look out towards Konoha. Naruto watched as the man opened his mouth to speak. "Do you see this village?" Unlike his appearance, the man's voice was powerful and commanding, and Naruto subconsciously focused his attention to the man's words. "This village… this village and all the people down there make up Konoha. For many years the village of Konoha has strived and toiled to survive in this world. And Konoha has become great. It has flourished and prospered and has become the greatest of all the ninja villages. Do you know why?" Naruto stayed silent and waited for the man's words.

"Since the founding of Konoha, our shinobi have sacrificed everything in order to preserve the village. They have sacrificed their time, their efforts, and even their lives, all for the sake of the village. But what many don't see is that sometimes we shinobi must sacrifice much, much more." The man paused, seemingly thinking about something.

"What would you be willing to sacrifice for the sake of the village? Could you slaughter your entire family to prevent a civil war from tearing the village apart? Could you condemn an innocent to a life of hate and pain if it saves the village? Could you harden your heart and do what is necessary?"

Sometime during the speech, Naruto felt that his mouth had come dry. He licked his lips to try to get rid of the feeling and the odd taste at the back of his throat, but still it persevered. He had no response to give to the man, but he thought of his own burden as he rubbed his belly. He also thought back to the memorial stone that Kakashi-sensei had showed them. To sacrifice more than their lives, all for the sake of the village? His thoughts turned to Sasuke. He wanted to save him, to take him back to Konoha and show him that he wasn't alone, but what if he didn't want to come back? His hand raised itself up to his chest, where it traced the edges of a fist-sized scar that had gone straight through his chest, barely missing his heart. Pain raced through him, not physical pain, but emotional pain at a reminder of a bond that his best friend had tried to shatter completely and permanently.

The man continued with his speech. "There are many that say that we shinobi are still human, and that to feel emotion is important. But sometimes, we must sacrifice that humanity so that we may act in the village's best interest. We shinobi are not beings of morals and ethics. We do not have a code of honor or a sense of justice. We do what we must to survive. We do what we must so that our village survives." Naruto's thoughts led to a lonely Hyoton user and a fierce demon. He wanted to argue out against the man, but he couldn't find the words.

"You are still young and naïve to understand now. But sooner or later, you will eventually. As long as the shinobi system is present in our society, we shinobi must do as needed. Even if the system was removed, humanity's faults will lead itself back to violence in some other means. So what will you do, Uzumaki Naruto?"

Naruto didn't realize the use of his name from a man he didn't know or the fact that he was speaking to said man he didn't know about these things in the first place. It was lost on him as he was in his own thoughts while he tried to find a way to phrase his words right. When he did finally speak, it was unusually reserved and subdued compared to his normal way of speaking, but it held the same resolve, the same determination as always, if not more.

"Even though I don't have many happy memories here in Konoha, the few ones I do… they're very precious to me. It might seem strange, but those memories and the people I made them with, they mean everything to me! They give me the hope that someday I'll be acknowledged and respected! So that's why… that's why I want to protect the village like the old man Hokage did. He died for the people he loved. He sacrificed his life for them. You say I'll have to sacrifice more than my life? Then I'll do it! I'll sacrifice everything I have for the few things that Konoha has offered me! I'll sacrifice what I have so that others don't have to! I'd do anything to keep Konoha safe!"

The fire in Naruto's eyes seemed to rekindle, yet the flames moved with purpose and with a sad melancholy to them. He thought of Sasuke, who gave up everything in Konoha for power. _'Sasuke… I don't want to. It'll break my promise to Sakura, and it'll break my heart too, but if… if you threaten or harm Konoha in any way, then I'll have to end you myself! It's my responsibility as your comrade, as your friend.'_

Naruto thought he saw the man give an imperceptible nod and a small upward twitch of the corner of his lips to the answer.

"Anything?" The man asked. Naruto raised his fist up, similar to the time of the preliminaries of the Chunin exams when he swore on Hinata's blood. "Everything." This time the man gave a noticeable nod to the response.

After the silence continued on, Naruto realized the conversation was over. Taking his time to take one last glance at the setting sun and the view of Konoha, he left the man there and headed to his apartment. When he was able to reach his apartment unimpeded, he figured that Grandma Tsunade had made the people stop searching for him so he could think. Thankful for that, he was able to relax in his apartment and have his first peaceful sleep in a week since Sasuke's defection. Though long after Naruto had left the top of the Hokage Monument, the old war hawk was still perched on his old friend's head, sharp eyes capturing every detail of the village.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>So this is my first fanfiction and everything and it would be a great help if any of you readers out there to review. Tell me whether you like the idea, ways I can improve, etc. etc.

This idea that I came up with is still in development, so don't expect daily updates. I might not be able to update frequently so sorry if that is the case.

As for any pairings for Naruto, I have absolutely no idea. It's most likely I won't pair him up with anyone at all in the story, and if I do, than it'll just be one person.

Expect some OCs. There are only a few known characters in Ne (Root, whatever) so I'm trying to find a way to fit them in the story, balance them so they're not overpowered and everything, but make them unique in their own right.

Also, the next chapters that come out will focus on Naruto being invited into Ne and being trained. I'm not going to be like, "Oh, welcome to Root." Than the next chapter is **3 Years Later.** Don't know how many chapters I'll focus for Naruto's training, but they'll also be used to develop my Root OCs.

The plot of the story is probably going to deviate from canon, how much I don't know. We'll find out. :P

The story is susceptible to rating change. I might have to change it to M for violence and stuff. High chance I won't have pairings or lemons and stuff like that so sorry if you're looking for that and I don't implement it.

Anyways, please review, if you have any ideas or advice review or PM, blah blah blah. Signing out. Peace~


	2. Chapter 2

**The Roots from Whence We Grow**

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its structure, plot, characters, and pretty much everything in it is the property of Masashi Kishimoto. This story that you are currently reading is a fan-made fiction created by me, and as such is based heavily on and takes place in the Naruto world created by Masashi Kishimoto. It is not in the forseeable future that Masashi Kishimoto will, either in the present or the far-off future, simply hand off his prized and world-famous manga/anime to me. So praise Masashi Kishimoto and the proper affiliations, of which I am too lazy to check, for creating such a wonderful story that 99% of us in the world couldn't even dream of. End crappy disclaimer.

**Summary:** After Sasuke's defection, Naruto does not leave with Jiraiya for a training trip. Instead, he will learn what it means to be a true shinobi under the tutelage of Danzo and become a part of Konoha's Foundation. Root!Naruto, though he won't be emotionless like Ne members. Danzo will be a major protagonist in the story, though he won't get as much attention in the beginning of the story.

**Key:**

'_Alright… so if I draw this kanji here and put this symbol here than…' -_ Thinking

"**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu****!"** – Jutsu Activation

"I'm going to be Hokage, Dattebayo!" – Normal Speech

"**So… my warden has finally seen fit to visit little 'ol me." **– Demon Speech (Kyuubi, etc.)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

As the sunshine was cast through the small apartment's window, the room it shone down upon was in a state of disarray. Any meager possessions inside were haphazardly thrown about: a sleeping cap was near the foot of the bed, some scrolls lay spread out across the floor, an empty ramen cup was laying on its side, a chopstick was wedged into a dart board (quite far away from across the room where a kunai lay with its twin), and inside a trash can was a hospital gown with a mess of bandages. Lying suspiciously next to the trash was an open orange book with its spine up, the title rendered indiscernible by a blood stain that covered the front of the book and some of the pages. The bed itself was a mess; the blankets were all tangled up, uncovering a spot of drool near the pillow. The only thing that remained remarkably clean was the framed photo upon a dusty drawer, its picture displaying happier times.

The apartment's inhabitant was elsewhere, back in his familiar orange jumpsuit. As he gripped the loose ends of his headband and pulled them tightly, the metal of his hitai-ate gleamed from the light reflecting off its surface. He reached his hand forward and pulled on the handle to his front door, waiting to start his day-

"Hey, gaki."

And found himself face-to-chest with the legendary toad sage of Mount Myōboku, one of the three Sannin who faced off against Hanzō of Amegakure, Konoha's spy master, a man who trained under the Third Hokage and later on trained the Fourth Hokage himself, and…

"Ehhh? Ero-Sennin? What are you doing here?"

Pervert extraordinaire.

'Ero-Sennin' scowled at his unenlightened pupil, his right eyebrow deciding whether it should go up or down. The man decided neither and instead brought his fist down upon the blonde's head.

"Gaki! It's the Great Jiraiya too you! Tch." The 'Great Jiraiya' crossed his arms and mumbled something about 'getting no respect these days.' It might have worked on a naïve child who didn't know Jiraiya's eccentricities, but Naruto was stubborn enough and had been around the man too long to fall for it. That, and the childish pout the older man displayed on his face crushed any illusions of calling the man respectable. Naruto scratched at the back of his head, sweat-dropping as he waited for the man to finish his tantrum. After Jiraiya had finished his rant, he deigned Naruto worthy enough to hear the reason for his visit.

"Tch. Anyway gaki, don't you know you're not supposed to skip out of the hospital with injuries like yours? It doesn't matter that the damn fox already healed them by now. Tsunade almost had my skin when she found out you were missing! You're lucky I convinced her to let you go around gallivanting, you idiot." He sighed, and suddenly the mood seemed to get heavier. Jiraiya's face turned serious.

"Still, that's not what I wanted to talk about." He shoved his way past the door, sitting seiza position on the mat set down besides the table. Naruto subconsciously gulped and shut the door, following Jiraiya's lead. After they were both settled down, Jiraiya began to speak.

"I'm leaving tomorrow." He held up his hand, stopping Naruto's impending outburst. The man's gaze focused on Naruto's eyes. "And I want you to come with me." The surprised silence was broken only shortly by the chirping of the birds outside, and lasted again until Naruto had gathered his wits about him and abruptly stood up.

"W-what? Why so sudden? I just can't leave right now! I have to train! I have to stay to make sure Konoha's safe! I have to-"

"Damn it gaki, just listen to me!" Jiraiya's raised voice quieted the boy again, and when he saw that the boy sat down and would speak no more words for now, he spoke again. "I would've talked to you yesterday, but you were missing from the hospital. Before that, you were recovering while I had business with my contacts." After a long, drawn-out sigh, he continued. "Orochimaru will be training Sasuke. You stalled him long enough that he can't perform his body-switching technique any time soon, at least not until three years. And Akatsuki have quieted down now. We don't know what they're planning, but this reprieve given to us will give me the chance to train you personally. I can't stay here in Konoha because I have a spy network to run, and while you could train yourself or have Kakashi train you back here at Konoha, I can do better. This means you and me, out on the road for three years. I can train you to be better than most ninjas even dream of. I can train you to handle Akatsuki and Orochimaru, but only if you're with me outside of Konoha. And only if you swear to me one thing." Here, his gaze hardened and became sharp. "You must give up chasing Sasuke."

Whatever Jiraiya was suspecting, from a straight up decline, to a shocked and disbelieving stare, he certainly didn't suspect this. By the end of Jiraiya's speech, Naruto was gripping his pants tightly, his face overshadowed by his bangs while he looked down. The boy was shaking, and if Jiraiya wasn't the skilled ninja that he was, he might've missed the single tear that fell down and landed out of sight. The words the boy spoke where a whisper, but Jiraiya's trained ears caught it.

"I know. I know, damn it! Yesterday, I thought I had come to terms with it. But when I woke up, I saw our team picture. E-everything was so simple back then, wasn't it? I just wanted to prove that we were equals. I wanted… I wanted to prove that Sasuke could be happy too. Now everything is changing. Was I too late, Ero-Sennin?"

Jiraiya's face softened. He thought about his own experiences with Orochimaru. He gripped Naruto's shoulder with his right hand. "Kid… We can't always be heroes. You can't save everyone. Sometimes, people don't want to be saved. It's times like this it's alright to give up, okay? Just gotta let go sometimes, alright?" When Naruto's shaking persisted, the man let out a tired sigh. Getting up, he went around the table and sat down next to the boy. Feeling awkward at never having to do this kind of stuff before, he wrapped his arms around Naruto and shoved the boy into his chest. The boy didn't seem to mind as he squirmed towards the warmth that he felt for the first time in his life- that for the first time in his life was just for him, where he felt warm and safe, even when he felt so vulnerable. His mask had fallen, and he didn't want to pick it up. And for the first time in his life, Naruto felt what it was like to be in a parent's embrace.

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><p>Jiraiya had left after Naruto had spilled out all his insecurities, all his fears, all his troubles, everything that he had kept inside since forever. After letting all the tears dry, and wishing he could stay to comfort the boy as he should –he was his goddamn godfather after all!-, he had regretfully left the boy to get ready for their trip. Of course, not after cheering up the boy and poking fun at him for not being man enough to enjoy that which was Icha-Icha and promising him to get a new, intact copy. That got him a teary smile and a blood-stained book thrown at his head. As he left, he reminded Naruto to prepare for their three-year trip, where he proclaimed Naruto would trade in his "v card" for a "man card". That got him a smile, a twitching eye, and sharp, deadly weapons –"Was that a chopstick?"- thrown at his balls.<p>

Naruto smiled as the man left, wiping his tears from his eyes. Already he missed Jiraiya's company, his warmth. He was the closest thing to a father Naruto had. Naruto's smiled turned melancholy. He picked up his mask, the one he had used for years. And he thought, _'To hell with it.' _Tossing it out the window, he once again made himself presentable, just like before 'Ero-Sennin' had got him all sappy , and made sure that the tear tracks and red, puffy eyes no longer stared at him from the bathroom. He re-tightened his hitai-ate, and opened the door-

Only to come face-to-chest with someone once again. There was a significantly big difference this time, Naruto's eyes, and consequently his brain, realized. Earlier, he came face-to-chest with man boobs. This time, he came face-to-chest with woman boobs. As the realization set into his rewiring brain, he blushed up a storm and shot back, steam coming out of his ears as he shouted out apologies. When he deemed it safe to look up, he was once again embarrassed as the woman looked at him strangely.

"Eto… Ah… Uzumaki-san? Are you all right?" Naruto turned his face to the side and coughed, trying to get rid of his embarrassment and the awkwardness that followed. Turning to his visitor once again, he realized she was about to knock when he opened the door, as shown when her upraised hand fell loosely down with nothing to do. She was dressed in the standard medical-nin uniform. The headgear concealed her hair while the coat was wrapped around her body. While the uniform covered all her skin, except for the face, it did little to hide her… assets. Naruto cursed in his mind for Jiraiya corrupt him; he could see a chibi image of Jiraiya dancing in his head proclaiming success. Lifting his eyes up, he studied her face. Unlike most Konoha ninja who had darker skin tones because of the sun and heat that were dominant in Fire Country, the skin showed on her face was lighter and somewhat paler. Her eyes were a chestnut brown, and one of her eyebrows was raised inquisitorially at him. After realizing he pulled a Jiraiya and gawked at a girl, he scratched the back of his head while a light red dusted his cheeks.

"Ahh! Gomenasai, medic-san! Eheheheh…" His chuckle trailed off awkwardly, wanting to know what she was doing here but trying to be respectful for once.

The medic-nin took a moment to stare at him a while longer, while Naruto sweated all over from the awkwardness. When she was satisfied with her examination, she addressed him again.

"Uzumaki-san! You shouldn't have run away from the hospital yesterday." Add reproachful glare here. Cue increased sweating from blonde. "Even though Hokage-sama let you go free yesterday, you still have to return to the hospital so that we can make sure that you have made a full recovery. We can't have you running around while injured, can we?" Before Naruto could raise a protest, the medical-nin had lightly grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of his apartment. Allowing him to close the door and making sure it was properly locked (in a village full of ninja? Sure.), she continued to lead the protesting boy to the hospital.

"Eheheh… Medic-san… I'm pretty sure I'm healed…" The blonde ninja tried to protest in order to get away from the hospital, but the pointed stare she gave him silenced him at once and resigned him to his doom.

When they got to the hospital, to his great disappointment, he had to strip his jumpsuit and put on the hospital gown again. She led him to a room where he was sat down on a bed while she ran tests on him. Bored from having to stay still, he let his eyes wander, but all he saw was white, white, white, white, and green. The green was a curtain that split the room in half and concealed the other side. He stared at it for a while, figuring it was better than looking around at all the white. Then he decided it would look better orange. He spent the rest of the time creating a prank where he could dye the whole hospital orange and cracked a grin at the thought. Naruto only came back down to earth after the medic-nin had finally finished running all of her medical tests. She had asked him to stay put until further notice. The click of the door sounded throughout the room when she left, and all Naruto was left with was silence.

_Tick…tock…tick…tock…_

Naruto watched the clock as the seconds passed. It was 10:59 A.M. He counted the seconds and waited for the clock to hit 11:00.

_5… 4… 3… 2… 1…_

A long, drawn-out sigh passed his lips. 11:00 A.M. came and he was bored. He wanted to do something!

A screech sounded from somewhere in the hospital. _'Wha?' _Sounds of commotion and crashes followed, and he heard some incomprehensible shouting from everywhere within the hospital. With all the excitement he heard outside, and the boredom he had endured inside, he was itching to go out and find out what happened. Before he could take one step, however, he heard the curtains that split the room being thrown aside. Turning around, he saw the figure there.

"Eh? It's you, jiji! You talked to me on the Hokage Mountain yesterday!"

The bandaged man ignored the sudden outburst and the obvious statement made by Naruto. If he was offended by the lack of respect, it didn't show; his face remained set like stone. "Boy!" He barked out. Naruto flinched and straightened out. The man's voice was still as commanding and asserting as yesterday. "I do not have time for your frivolities, so listen clearly. Do not speak unless I ask you to, is that clear?"

"Y-yessir!" Naruto, in the suddenness of it all, squeaked out. _'Wha?'_ He didn't get what was happening, but it certainly wasn't boring anymore. If only this happened at hospitals all the time…

The man's voice cleared Naruto out of his thoughts. "You told me you would do everything in order to protect Konoha. I warned you about the sacrifices that you would have to make in order to serve. You remember, yes?"

"Y-yes!"

"Speak louder, boy! Stop stuttering!" Even as Naruto turned red, either from embarrassment or shame, the man continued. "Listen to me clearly, boy. The distraction will only last long enough." Naruto guessed he was referring to the commotion outside. "In order to serve for the benefit of Konoha, you cannot go with Jiraiya of the Sannin outside of Konoha. Do you understand?"

It took a couple of seconds for Naruto to process what he was being told to do. After it passed, the disbelief and outrage was shown clearly on his face and heard in his voice. "What? What do you mean I can't go with Ero-Sennin! I have to train to get stronger!" What Naruto didn't want to admit to the strange man was that he wanted to stay close to Jiraiya, the only father figure there ever was for him. He wanted to bask in the warmth that he felt when Jiraiya hugged him; he wanted to feel like he had a family. "Besides, I can't just tell him, 'No, I changed my mind, I can't go with you because some weird old guy told me I couldn't.' And who are you tell me I can't go? I barely met you yesterday when you started spouting all this philosophical crap at me out of nowhere!"

The "weird old guy" never changed in his demeanor, his face never showing a hint of emotion. After he let Naruto's outburst pass, he responded. "Yes, you do have to train to get stronger. At your current level, you are currently deadweight to Konoha; if it weren't for the ninja of this village, Akatsuki could just pick you up and leave." Naruto scowled at that piece of information. "And true, Jiraiya could train you well. He is a respectable S-rank ninja; the Fourth Hokage would have never reached the level he was at without him. " Naruto nodded, as if the man was proving his point. "However, Jiraiya is Konoha's spy master, and one of the greatest ones there is. If he is to devote his time to training you, that is less time spent discovering the enemy's plans and movements. And if Akatsuki were to suddenly attack you on the road, he could surely hold off two of them. But three? Four? What if they all come bearing down on him because you are there? He. Will. Die."

Naruto flinched at the thought of Ero-Sennin dying. '_He couldn't die, could he? He fought against Orochimaru while drugged and made two Akatsuki members retreat by himself!' _But Naruto's traitorous mind fought back against Naruto's beliefs. _'Orochimaru couldn't even use his hands. Jiraiya was distracted by a woman when Akatsuki came and only arrived in the nick of time. And that was only two of them._' How many members of Akatsuki did Ero-Sennin say there were? He couldn't remember, but what if more did come? He'd be risking Ero-Sennin's life just for some training. Still, Naruto wanted to argue out against the man. "You still didn't answer my other questions!"

It unnerved Naruto to see the old man never change expressions, but still the man's face lay unchanged. "Boy, you are being childish and selfish. I can see that you understand my points, but still you waste time with your frivolity." Naruto felt shame burn itself into his gut. "Still, I will answer your questions. I will train you. As for who am I?"

And for once, as the man stood straight up, hands on his cane, head held high, Naruto saw not a weak, senile old man; he saw the proud warrior who withstood time and devoted his life for his cause- for Konoha.

"I fought side-by-side with the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and even the Nidaime Hokage, Senju Tobirama, during the First Shinobi World War. I've been in major battles and killed enemy ninja before Jiraiya could even wipe himself. I have seen countless villages fall while Konoha has stood for generations. I have trained numerous shinobi throughout the years, whose missions, whose actions, whose sacrifices have served to provide Konoha with the success it has always been credited. I have given up my own ambitions, my own goals, my own body to see Konoha rise throughout the years. My name…"

All the noises from whatever distraction was outside that hospital room seemed to dull. The only sound was the call of the hawk, who eyed his prey and swooped down at any sign of weakness.

"...is Shimura Danzo."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Annnnnd CUT! Frankly, I think the character interactions during this chapter is rushed. And Danzo gets kind of OOC there, no? Either way, I had planned on going farther and then splitting it, but then I figured it was long enough. Just a bit above 1000 words of the 1st chapter, and I was running out of ideas. Originally, Danzo wasn't hiding surreptitiously behind the curtain *cough*creeper*cough*. Naruto was supposed to be drugged and taken to the Root base, but I didn't see how that would work. As a jinchuriki, he would be hard to drug in the first place. Getting him somewhere without anyone noticing would also be quite difficult in the middle of a village, no?

Also, as you can see, if you can't tell, when I went through a paragraph of detail describing the medic-nin, (even if it was only her face that showed) she is an OC that will play a part in the story. Just because she is female though doesn't mean Naruto will get with her. -.- These people are Root. Emotionless, mindless, zombie tools. I'm finding an original enough way to have Naruto get through to some of them. Can't have Naruto beating the hell out of everyone and them becoming best friends automatically.

When I update the next chapter, I'll probably go over this chapter and the last chapter and fix over things. I don't like certain parts. It'll be relatively the same, just... not as rushed. More developed. More realistic. Make more sense.

Sorry if it's taking a while to get to the main story plot. I feel like inside the chapter is rushed, but the story as a whole is starting slow. I'll rework stuff when I get the ideas.

Again, as with the last chapter, REVIEW. It helps greatly. I want to know what I'm doing wrong, how I can improve, ideas, etc. etc. It's also a great morale booster. So have at it, you knaves! Peace~


	3. Chapter 3

**The Roots from Whence We Grow**

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its structure, plot, characters, and pretty much everything in it is the property of Masashi Kishimoto. This story that you are currently reading is a fan-made fiction created by me, and as such is based heavily on and takes place in the Naruto world created by Masashi Kishimoto. It is not in the forseeable future that Masashi Kishimoto will, either in the present or the far-off future, simply hand off his prized and world-famous manga/anime to me. So praise Masashi Kishimoto and the proper affiliations, of which I am too lazy to check, for creating such a wonderful story that 99% of us in the world couldn't even dream of. End crappy disclaimer.

**Summary:** After Sasuke's defection, Naruto does not leave with Jiraiya for a training trip. Instead, he will learn what it means to be a true shinobi under the tutelage of Danzo and become a part of Konoha's Foundation. Root!Naruto, though he won't be emotionless like Ne members. Danzo will be a major protagonist in the story. ABSOLUTELY NO purposeful bashing.

**Key:**

'_Alright… so if I draw this kanji here and put this symbol here than…' -_ Thinking

"**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu****!"** – Jutsu Activation

"I'm going to be Hokage, Dattebayo!" – Normal Speech

"**So… my warden has finally seen fit to visit little 'ol me." **– Demon Speech (Kyuubi, etc.)

**(1)** - Translation provided in the bottom Author's Note.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

"Request denied."

Danzo frowned lightly. Though he knew that this was the most probable case, he had his hopes that such a high-ranking shinobi like Tsunade would understand. Apparently, he was wrong. He stayed silent as Homura tried to reason with her.

"Tsunade-hime, you _must_ understand the risks that you are taking here. Letting the boy go outside of the safety of the village and—"

Danzo watched as Tsunade lifted her face from her fist, letting her propped up arm fall listlessly onto her desk. The drumming of her fingers signified that she seemed to have finally gotten tired of their presence, and she abruptly interrupted Homura from his reasoning. Such a rash and irritable woman she was: both naïve and stubborn. If only there had been better Hokage candidates that were more suitable for the job. Alas, good shinobi were scarce these days. His musing was interrupted as the Hokage's words brought him back to the sad reality of things.

"The points that you raise are indeed… sensible." She agreed reluctantly. "However, I trust Jiraiya will be able to do his part. After all, he is an S-class ninja for a reason, and I believe that he can do the right thing. And remember, in the end, you are here _only_ to advise me—as such, any decision I make is _final._ Like this one." Her glare accompanied the last statement, and the drumming of her fingers ended along with her rebuttal. Danzo sighed inwardly; he knew a lost cause when he saw one. When both Homura and Koharu looked like they were about to offer a response, he intervened with a _bang_ of his cane, subtly channeling chakra to the hidden seal on the bottom. The applied chakra amplified the sound caused by the cane, but Danzo smirked inwardly as nobody else realized the real purpose besides that. After all eyes were on him, he spoke.

"I see. My apologies for bothering you, _Hokage-sama."_ Tsunade promptly ignored the subtle mocking tone that came with his words. "Forgive us for our interruption. We shall take our leave." As he turned on his heel and strode towards the door, also signaling for the advisors to follow him, Danzo couldn't resist one last parting shot. "After all, I'm sure you have much more important matters to attend to. Paperwork does take _so much_ time. Good day, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade resisted the urge the throw her desk at their retreating figures, though the violent twitch and pulsing tick-mark on her forehead belied her true intentions. She somehow knew that if she was able to see his face, she'd be able to see that mocking smirk. Unfortunately, her furious glare was wasted on their backs, and when they didn't burn to ashes on the spot, she turned it on the mountains of paperwork on her desk. Sadly, they too resisted the glare.

Regardless, her mounting hate didn't stop her from pumping the chakra to her ears. When she was assured that the footsteps of the old geezers had faded, she made her move.

"Anbu!"

Four cloaked figures silently _buzzed_ onto the spot, their masked faces staring straight ahead as they awaited orders. The leading one responded in deep monotone. "Hokage-sama! Squad 8 reporting! Orders?"

Tsunade took the time to study the newcomers. When they remained unfazed from her gaze, she gave them their commands.

"I don't trust Danzo or those _councilors_"—the Anbu ignored the way she sneered at the mention of them—"to not do anything. I want them on 24/7 watch, effective immediately and lasting until Jiraiya of the Sannin's departure with one Uzumaki Naruto. You are to report any suspicious motions _immediately_. If force is necessary in order to halt or stall the opposition's actions, you are to do as necessary, but _no more_. Failure to comply with any of these objectives will result in suspension of shinobi duties _without_ pay, demotion pending on performance, and a 'friendly' visit with Ibiki to remind you of your duties as shinobi."

For the most part, the Anbu did well in showing no reaction to the punishment outlined for them by Tsunade; she knew better though. Under those porcelain masks, they were most likely sweating heavily. She inwardly grinned when her chakra-enhanced nose caught the salty scent of their panic.

With a resolute "_Hai!_", the Anbu noted their affirmation to their superior. She reveled in their fear of such a punishment: partly because it was funny, but mostly because it postponed her from her dreaded paperwork. After lazily eyeing their stiff figures for a moment longer, she relented.

"Dismissed!"

As the Hokage reluctantly turned back to her paperwork, and more importantly, going through the hidden compartment in her desk that contained her _sake_, she failed to look at the spot that Danzo had previously occupied. Or rather, the spot where Danzo had tapped with his chakra-enhanced cane, for if she had taken the time to get up instead of digging through her desk ("Damn it, _Kami_! Shizune! Where the hell did you put my _sake_!), she might have seen the silent poof of smoke that marked the end of a discretely hidden kage bunshin.

* * *

><p>Homura and Koharu slowed slightly in their silent walk with their companion when he had suddenly blinked his eye twice rapidly in succession. Any other shinobi wouldn't have bothered with such trivial matters, but they were old and experienced teammates, and they knew better. Waiting for him to disclose the issue to them, they quietly led the way to the quaint tea establishment they frequented both in their younger days and even now.<p>

The road they were taking led them out of the way of the busier, more popular districts into one of the older, more isolated ones. The buildings, though renovated constantly to keep up with the present, showed unmistakable signs of age: the style was reminiscent of the times before the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars. Anyone that was in the area, both civilian and shinobi, was just like them: old, tired, and reminiscing of their sweet, younger days.

Homura's mouth formed a bitter-sweet smile as he recalled a far younger him, complete with glasses and proudly showcasing a shining Konohagakure hitai-ate on his forehead, stuttering nervously while blushing up a storm as he held the smooth hand of a young and quite beautiful Koharu. As the young Koharu raised a delicate eyebrow at his younger self, a shaking, hunched-over form of Sarutobi Hiruzen was in the background struggling, and rather failing, at holding back his laughter. Tobirama-sensei smiled at the ruckus his team was causing, chuckling when the pre-wrinkled form of Koharu kissed a madly flushing genin Homura on the cheek.

The post-wrinkle Koharu must have realized what her fellow companion was thinking about, because with a light smile and the upward rising of the corner of her eyes, she took Homura's weathered hand into her own wrinkled one. Even if it was no longer as smooth as it once was, Homura smiled at the intimate contact. Together, they savored the feeling of their once-fervent youth.

As for Danzo, he was busy managing the influx of information that resulted from his kage bunshin dispelling. When he was able to discern the necessary information (he quietly noted the location of Tsunade's secret stash of _sake_), he mulled over his next following course of action. With Tsunade's disagreement and the constant surveillance they would now be under, everything was considerably more complicated. He had no doubts that the Anbu were shadowing them even now, and he did not need to look at the advisors (he gave a light, upward twitch of his lips when he saw their old, beaming faces and their entwined hands) to know that they realized it too. Still, the Anbu were several decades late to be able to stop him now; if it was him alone, he would already have the advantage. However, with Koharu and Homura by his side, the Anbu might as well have been fat, overweight civilians chasing after Tora.

* * *

><p>In the Fire Daimyō's palace, Madame Shijimi, the Fire Daimyō's wife, sneezed. Add in the fact that she was 'affectionately hugging and showering her affections' on (read: roughly, violently, and quite cruelly and inhumanely man-handling) her cat, Tora, the resulting shockwave resulted in violent tremors that racked the poor cat with even more indescribable pain than it was already in. The Shinigami, in seeing such an unfortunate soul, tried to have mercy on it by taking it to the afterlife where it would have a special spot reserved for it. Alas, Madame Shijimi carried the tortured soul away from the Shinigami's grasp, who could only look on in untold sorrow as the cat stretched its paw pathetically and uselessly at the ghastly figure.<p>

* * *

><p>As the trio arrived at the dilapidated establishment, they headed to a table as old as them: it was the exact same one they used even as genin. Placed by the large, clear window that spanned almost the entire section of the wall, the table and surrounding chairs were made of old, worn wood. When the trio took their places on the seats, the wood did not give way: proof of its durability. Each of the elders knew why, of course; it was also why the owner of the establishment never threw away any of the wooden furniture. The wood procured for the construction of the pieces was cut from the trees created by Hashirama Senju himself; even now, the leftover chakra coursing through the wooden material supported its strength.<p>

Still, it did not stop a young Homura decades back from carving hearts with his and Koharu's names into the surface of the table.

The nostalgia and memories were broken by the tense mood and anxiety caused by the current situation. As Koharu and Homura gingerly held hands under the table and the old server, who had worked there longer still than when they started going there, passed them their usuals, the sad reality of the situation had settled down on their minds. All three elders knew that the Anbu were watching them through the window; the Anbu were smart enough not to enter the establishment. For one, any henges or genjutsu would be spotted by the more experienced shinobi immediately. Even if they weren't, the establishment was relatively empty, except for the elderly patrons that frequented the place: entering would be suspicious.

Too bad for the Anbu that they were already spotted the moment they were assigned the mission.

Danzo's one eye gazed lazily out the window. Even without enhancing his eye via chakra, he could spot and identify each and every Anbu operative out there. While time had taken his youth and trouble-free days away from him, it had also given him skill and experience: something these Anbu lacked heavily compared to him, let alone all three of the elders. As his eye pointed out their positions, his mind automatically called out the information associated with them as he pointed them out by their masks and chakra signature.

_'Name:Yamaguchi Akihiro  
><em>_Anbu Code name: Kuma_ **(1)**  
><em>Member of Anbu Squad 8: squad specializes in intelligence gathering and capture of opposition.<br>Clan affiliation: None.  
>Remarkable achievements: Though he hails from civilian lineage, he is capable of effectively using <em>_Doton__, __Suiton__, and __Raiton__ elements with impunity. Exceptional prowess in Ninjutsu. Able to quickly and cleanly subdue opponents using aforementioned elements. Has shown remarkable ability to perform all aforementioned elements with one-handed seals. Takes advantage of such by using a chakra-capable katana in his right hand to keep opponents busy while preparing Ninjutsu with his left.  
>Notable senseis: Tora, code name of Anbu squad leader of Anbu squad 8.<br>Weaknesses: Taijutsu. Makes up for it with Kenjutsu and Ninjutsu, but disabling both leaves him vulnerable. Large chakra stores render him unable to perform Genjutsu above B-Rank without proper concentration and preparation. Cannot perform the __Katon __element necessary to counter the __Futon __element. Cannot perform the __Futon __element necessary to counter the __Raiton __element. Terrain away from the earth or the water is capable of rendering up to two-thirds of his Ninjutsu arsenal useless. Susceptible to powerful Genjutsu. No medical knowledge. No fuinjutsu knowledge. Overwhelmed by superior speed and power.  
>Other: No trump cards or unique abilities.<br>Shinobi Rank: Low A-Rank.' _

Danzo's only uncovered eye left the area where the Anbu had hidden underground, and his gaze spotted the next member.

_'Name: Hyūga Arisu  
>Anbu Code name: Nezumi <em>**(2)**_  
>Member of Anbu Squad 8: squad specializes in intelligence gathering and capture of opposition.<br>Clan affiliation: Hyūga, Main.  
>Remarkable achievements: Nothing notable. General Hyūga Main member. Proficency with <em>_Jūken __and __Byakugan__._ _As expected of a Hyūga, Taijutsu is remarkable, as is Genjutsu detection. Capable of using Hakkeshō Kaiten continuously without tiring; used as a defensive technique and stalling maneuver in order for squad mates to get into position. Capable of using __Futon__ and __Suiton__, though not without rapidly diminishing of chakra reserves for any techniques above B-Rank. Some medical knowledge.  
>Notable senseis: None.<br>Weaknesses: Ninjutsu. Kenjutsu, or any other style revolving around the use of a weapon. No fuinjutsu knowledge. Performs no Genjutsu during battle. Mid-range to long-range battles. Sticks to Hyūga fighting styles and techniques. Long battles, especially battles involving attrition of chakra. Battles against numerous opponents: Style is rendered ineffective by superior numbers. Opponents with superior speed.  
>Other: No trump cards or unique abilities.<br>Shinobi Rank: High B-Rank.' _

The narrowed eye turned its sight from the red-breasted nuthatch, a common species in Fire Country, to the next target.

_'Name: Inuzuka Nodo. __  
>Anbu Code name: Shishi <em>**(3)**_  
>Member of Anbu Squad 8: squad specializes in intelligence gathering and capture of opposition.<br>__Clan affiliation:_ _Inuzuka.  
>Remarkable achievements: Raises and fights along the siamese ninkens, together named <em>_Ryōken, also known among the Inuzuka clan as Jigoku no Banken _**(4)**_ for their three heads on one body. After retrieval and study of the body of diseased members of the Sound Four Sakon and Ukon, the bloodline was able to be analyzed and recreated and subsequently applied to ninken Ryōken successfully. Though recently applied to said ninken, Ryōken shows remarkable proficiency in technique. Testing shows that because of the applied bloodline, the Ninjutsu/Collaboration Jutsu: __Jinjū Konbi Henge: Sōtōrō_** (5)**_has become extremely dangerous; when activated with __Ryōken, combines not into a giant quadricephalous ninken, but into a human-sized and shaped entity with four hound-like heads. Entity boasts significantly more destructive power and speed than the usual Ninjutsu performed by an Inuzuka. Bloodline attributes also enable this Ninjutsu to require less chakra to form and maintain. In this form, all heads are capable of using the bloodline, though not as easily and effectively as pre-combination due to the presence of Shishi in the entity. Attempted usage of bloodline during single entity form on target results in extremely erratic and volatile results; not recommended for subduing, or use until perfected. Target was violently torn apart before Ryōken or Shishi could alter cells and proteins of the target themselves, resulting in premature evacuation of target's body before the body's subsequent breakdown.  
>Notable senseis: Inuzuka Shippo, former patriarch and head of the Inuzuka clan.<br>Weaknesses: Like all Inuzukas, relies heavily on ninken; eliminating the ninken from the equation more than halves the fighting prowess of Shishi, and is more than likely to provoke the aforementioned into a state of drunken fury. No medical knowledge besides on dogs. No fuinjutsu. Performs no Genjutsu during battle. Sticks to Inuzuka techniques and fighting style. Long-range battles. Tools or methods that befuddle or confuse the heightened sense of smell of either Shishi or Ryōken; though the technique is crude and unrefined, Uzumaki Naruto demonstrated that farting in the face of an Inuzuka can effectively disable them long enough to defeat.  
>Other: Trump CardUnique Abilities: Artificial bloodline for Ryōken.  
>Shinobi Rank with Ryōken: Mid A-Rank. Shinobi Rank without Ryōken: Mid B-Rank.'<em>

The ninken had used their acquired bloodline to attach themselves to their Inuzuka master, who had disguised them all as one of the leaves of the enormous tree that shaded the remote tea establishment. As for the last member of Anbu Squad 8, the captain and leader…

Danzo allowed a small, unseen smirk to grace his usually stoic features. After all, he felt he was allowed to gloat to himself for all the time and effort he had put into ensuring one his of highest ranking Root members infiltrated the Hokage's personal Anbu. The risks were extremely great; this operative was one of the best he had, not one of the ones that were easily disposable. And unlike most of his other operatives, this one was able to perfectly mimic personas and emotions. The information that filled Danzo's head was stuff that not even the Hokage knew.

'_Anbu code name: Tora _**(6)**_  
>Squad leader of Anbu Squad 8: <em>_squad specializes in intelligence gathering and capture of opposition.  
>Root code name: Zenryoku <em>**(7)**_  
>Member of the Konponteki Go <em>**(8)**_: personal bodyguard of Shimura Danzo. Konponteki Go station: Huo _**(9)**_.  
>Clan affiliation: None.<br>Remarkable achievements: Hails from a family of civilian doctors and medical-nins. Top-notch chakra control, achieved from both genetics and the result of harsh training that continues even now. Extreme knowledge of anatomy, poisons, and health; able to heal using both medical jutsus and civilian techniques. Extreme knowledge of chakra theory, enabling 'unique' abilities. Able to use __Katon__ and __Suiton__ elements with impunity and __Futon__ element moderately, though primary element is __Katon__, which he can be considered a master of compared to other shinobi, and almost comparable to the Nidaime's control of __Suiton__; his __Katon__ element is significantly stronger than usual, and chakra control along with aforementioned 'unique ' abilities makes him a dangerous foe. Exceptional chakra control enables medical jutsu during battle and powerful Genjutsu. Established new and personal style for Taijutsu, called the __Gensouken _**(10)**_. Familiarity with chakra strings and knowledge on how they work. Practitioner of Kenjutsu. Some knowledge in fuinjutsu, but lacks the potential of a true sealing master.  
>Notable senseis: Shimura Danzo.<br>Weaknesses: Being from a civilian/medical-nin family renders him with small chakra reserves for someone of his level; though chakra control enables him to prevent excess chakra usage, chakra reserves can diminish quickly enough if given enough time. As such, prolonged battles of attrition with enemy of equal prowess is unadvised. __Doton__ and __Raiton__ elements; cannot perform the __Raiton__ element necessary to counter __Doton__, and using __Futon__ element continuously to counter __Raiton__ elements diminishes his relatively small chakra reserves quickly. Terrain where he cannot perform __Katon __to its highest potential. Terrain away from water. Opponent that is superior in the __Suiton__ element. Opponent that can easily nullify Genjutsu.  
>Other: Trump CardUnique Abilities: One suicide technique. Unique ability is classified.  
>Shinobi Rank: High A-Rank.'<em>

Danzo mulled the classified information in his head for a while. Having one of his own operatives heading the Anbu team spying on them would make it considerably easier for him to slip away and handle business, but the question was how to make it unsuspicious? Either way, he had to notify his companions: information was power in the shinobi world, after all.

He tapped his cane lightly on the floor, once more powering it with chakra. This time what he was doing was different, however. With the superior air manipulation granted by an affinity for wind and decades of training, he set to work influencing the air molecules around him. Danzo utilized his chakra control to change the vibration of the air molecules caused by the sound wave sent out from his cane, manipulating every aspect of the sound wave as he wanted. He was not disappointed.

Instead of the tap of the cane on the hard floor, what Homura and Koharu heard was all of the information that Danzo had received from the kage bunshin he left in the Hokage's office, the information he had pertaining to their tails, and his plan of action. Danzo had changed the sound wave that reached their ears by manipulating the air molecules it vibrated through until it actually sounded like a voice. Though slightly unnerved by the artificial voice, the advisors were used to it and nodded their assent to the plans he shared. It was reasonable, considering the fact that their tails had a Hyūga with Byakugan activated constantly watching them.

Reluctantly letting go of Koharu's withered hand, Homura slipped one of his own hands inside his robes to the small of his back where it traced a tattooed hidden seal. His other hand went up to fix his glasses, the small glare of light that reflected off the lenses only momentarily revealing the additional invisible hidden seals on each lens.

Koharu let her hand fall from Homura's grasp, shifting her position on the wooden chair to be better prepared. Her hands tensed, ready to perform the necessary hand seal at a moment's notice.

And Danzo finished his manipulation of the air particles that led to his operative, letting him know the plan. The concentration and control it took to manipulate the air was tremendous: the operative was significantly farther away compared to the elders, and the speed and amount of change required to change a simple tap to a voice was exceedingly taxing on his energy. But Danzo pushed through his fatigue, straining his old muscles to be ready for the upcoming distraction that would provide a single instant of reprieve from the constant watch of the Byakugan. Still, he mirthlessly chuckled at the irony of it all. The disguise the operative had chosen would have oddly, yet perfectly, fit the old him well— that is, the him that existed _before_ his conditioning. No, the him that existed even before the Third Shinobi World War. Life was so cruel, sometimes. Danzo already knew it, but it was the things like this always reminded him.

* * *

><p>Zenryoku acknowledged the plan laid out for him by Danzo-sama. Danzo-sama had to retrieve Uzumaki Naruto for training before Jiraiya of the Sannin could take the boy, but it would be disastrous if Danzo-sama was convicted of treason by going against the Hokage's wishes. As the Huo of the Konponteki Go, it was Zenryoku's duty to protect Danzo-sama at all times, whether it would be against physical harm or political harm (it is dubious to believe Danzo-sama could be harmed emotionally). And right now he needed to provide the distraction necessary to allow the retrieval of the Jinchuuriki.<p>

Zenryoku melded into his Anbu counterpart, Tora. With a small spike of chakra, he activated the radio set hidden in his Anbu mask.

"This is Tora. I have a clear visual on the targets. Report. Over. "After a small crackle of static from the radio, the heavy breathing of one of his subordinates responded.

"Roger Tora, this is Kuma. Being in the ground is fun. Sadly, I have no visual. If our 'eye in the sky' could deign to tell me what in _Kami's_ name is going on up there, I would be very pleased. Over." The snickering of Shishi at the pretentiously sweet and honeyed words was blatantly ignored by said 'eye in the sky.'

"Roger, this is Nezumi." The disdain in the soft voice of the Hyuga was clearly heard. "Maybe if you didn't play in the mud all the time, people would be actually pleased with you. Either way, there's nothing up here that your mind could comprehend anyway. Over." The background snickering got louder as the owner struggled to hold in his amusement. Everyone else ignored it though as the obviously fake sugar-sweet tone of Kuma came on the radio again.

"Roger Nezumi, this is Kuma. Maybe if you didn't already have a stick in your ass all the time, guys would actually go for you. But with the way it's shoved so deep in there anyway, eh… well, good luck with that. It's a shame too; I heard Taichou liked his women fresh and uncontaminated, but with that stick shoved up your ass you're probably all loo—"

"Alright, Kuma, that's enough." The stern voice of Tora shut him up, but the silence was filled with the choking guffaws of their other teammate. It continued like that for a while, Shishi's snorts replacing the usual static, until it seemed like Nezumi finally snapped.

"Will you shut the fuck up, you idiot? I can't keep my eyes on the target if your ridiculous laughing keeps giving me a migraine!" It seemed that Shishi lost the futile struggle to contain his mirth as the boisterous laughter deafened the ears of Anbu Squad 8. Wincing, Tora sent a small burst of chakra to lower the volume on his radio set. When it seemed like Nezumi was finally going to Juuken Shishi's ass to hell, Shishi finally choked out a reason to his madness."

"Man! When Kuma said all that shit, especially about Taichou, you should have" —snicker—"seen yourself! Even as a bird you did a full-body blush and almost fell off your branch! Hey Kuma! Why didn't you ever tell me our little mouse had a crush on Taichou?" Any response Kuma had was drowned out by the sputtering of denials from the Hyuga and the continued laughing from the Inuzuka.

Normally, such highly-trained Anbu operatives wouldn't act like this. But secretly, Tora had been applying a genjutsu that affected their rationale. If Nezumi hadn't had her gaze focused so intently on their targets and hadn't become so flustered from her teammates, she might have seen or felt the chakra entering her body. Alas, their comments left her distracted enough for the genjutsu to take hold. Now all Tora had to do was push the right buttons; if he tried to continue using genjutsu, they might become aware. Sometimes, words were needed more than jutsu.

"All right guys, enough fooling around." The relief provided for Nezumi was the calm before the storm. "After all, if our cute little mouse has a crush on me, then she shouldn't have to deny it. I think it's quite endearing that my lovely subordinate likes lil' ol' me. In fact…" As Nezumi tried to regain brain control and focus on the mission—what was the mission again?—, Tora had caught the falling bird-impersonating Anbu. When Nezumi had somewhat regained conscious thought, she found herself in the arms of—

A five-year old girl.

Even though Nezumi's Byakugan could see that it was Tora-taichou through the disguise, she was mesmerized by the elaborateness of it all. The wavy locks of chestnut brown that framed the slightly chubby face, the hazel eyes that stared innocently at her, and the lips that pouted adorably and just screamed 'hug me'—they looked more real than any henge or illusion could ever do.

There was even a faint scent of flowers, like she had rolled around with various flowers, and a hinting fragrance of light cologne, as if she had a doting father that had hugged her all the time.

Nezumi's eyes trailed down to the necklace that the young girl sported, where every scratch, every detail was perfect. It was a heart-shaped locket, made of the finest money could buy. Her trained shinobi eyes subconsciously memorized the inscription: "To Yume, love Higeki." When her Byakugan tried to see inside the locket, it was empty: the only detail that couldn't be reproduced.

As her eyes found their way back to the girl, she couldn't help but feel like she had seen this girl before.

* * *

><p>As Danzo made his escape while the Hyuga was distracted, he held a silent moment of remorse for the past long gone. No doubt Zenryoku was a great asset, but Danzo couldn't help thinking about how cruel it was to keep him as it is. His sorrow held deep in his soul, resonating against his being. But even in his moment of mourning, Danzo's traitorous mind finished the analysis he had made earlier of Zenryoku.<p>

'_Name: Kawanaga Higeki.'_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: End. <strong>

**Anyway, as you can obviously tell, this chapter was a bit more of a Danzo-centric and gave me a chance to introduce another Root character as well as some background information. Little bit of KoharuxHomura there. Don't really know why, but while I was typing up the chapter it popped up in my mind, so whatever.**

**No Naruto in this chapter, sorry. The next chapter will include Danzo actually confronting Jiraiya and Naruto, and then Naruto will finally go train with Danzo. These first three chapters were on making sure that it was somewhat realistic and gave me the chance to introduce a couple of concepts and OCs. Obviously I will go more into detail about it as we go on.**

**You know, honestly I have no idea why I went to detail with the Anbu squad besides Zenryoku/Tora. I never planned on creating them in the first place, but while typing up this chapter they just popped up randomly and there you have it. Because of that, I might have a place for them in the future of the story.**

**For those of you worried that my OCs are taking control of my story, do not be alarmed. Soon enough Naruto will come, get trained, and kick ass while taking names. And Tobi/Madara/Who-ever-the-hell-he-really-is will be like, "Oh, _shi-"_**

**Before I was talking about how I was going to edit my previous chapters to make them cleaner and to expand on certain things, but laziness and homework has so far prevented me from doing so. I will work on them gradually and see if I can release the changes with my next chapter.**

**Also, if you've realized, I have removed the chapter titles. I don't feel like putting the effort into creating crappy titles. I will revise details like that later in my free time.**

**As stated in previous chapters, review. What you liked, what you disliked, what you absolutely abhorred, and how much you pity poor Tora (the cat, not the double-agent).**

**Ideas are welcome, so don't be afraid to share. I'm always interested in what other people think, and if you are kind enough to share and I am interested enough to use it, I'll be sure to give proper credit where it belongs.**

**Any translations I have will most likely NOT be 100% accurate. I used multiple English to Japanese Phonetic translation sites, so sue me if they're wrong.**

**Rough Translations:**

**(1) _Kuma_: Bear**

**(2) _Nezumi_: Mouse**

**(3) _Shishi_: Lion**

**(4) _Jigoku no Banken_: Hellhound, or Hound of Hell**

**(5) **_**Jinjū Konbi Henge: Sōtōrō**_**** : Human Beast Combination Transformation: Double-Headed Wolf****

**(6) _Tora_: Tiger**

**(7) _Zenyroku_: Whole Energy**

**(8) _Konponteki Go_: Fundamental Five (so it's a bad name, sue me. :P)**

**(9) _Huo_: Chinese for Fire, as in Wu Xing, sometimes translated as Five Elements**

**(10) _Gensouken_: Illusion Fist**

**Also, the names that I supplied have rough definitions too. **

_**Kawanaga: Kawa:**_**River**_**; Naga:**_**Eternal, Long**

_**Higeki: **_**Tragedy**

_**Yume: **_**Dream**

**So thanks for reading, peeps. See you next time. Peace~**


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